Stethoscopes normally include a diaphragm-type pickup element which translates pressure changes which appear at the diaphragm into sound waves which travel through a relatively small diameter flexible sound path through a Y-junction and then through two semi-rigid tubular members to ear pieces intended for supplying the sounds to the ears of the doctor or other user. The two semi-rigid members to which the ear pieces are connected are normally pivotally mounted, often by a thin leaf spring which biases the two ear pieces toward one another so that they do not drop off the ears of the user.
One problem in the use of conventional stethoscopes is that they must normally be mounted on the head of the user using two hands, one holding on to each of the two tubular members; and they must be removed the same way. This is often inconvenient, when the doctor or other user wishes to perform other functions with one of his hands.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a stethoscope which may be readily mounted on the ears of the user using only one hand; and may be removed from the ears of the user in the same one-handed manner.